RFRA Rallies Planned At Kosciusko County Courthouse
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
The Indiana Pastor Alliance's "Stand For Religious Freedom" rally will be at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 22 at the courthouse.
Another rally at the same time and place, a counter rally, is called “Pro Equality Hoosier Rally,” according to Pete Tuura, event organizer.
Indiana Senate Bill 101, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, is a law in the state which allows individuals and companies to assert that their exercise of religion has been, or is likely to be, substantially burdened as a defense in legal proceedings.[
The bill was approved by a vote of 40-10 on March 26, 2015, and Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed it into law.
The bill was controversial, with opponents of the law claiming that it targeted lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender people and other groups. A proposal to provide protections for LGBT customers, employees and tenants was announced by Senate President David C. Long and House Speaker Brian Bosma on April 2. The changes to the bill were passed and signed into law by Pence.
Ron Johnson, Indiana Pastors’s Alliance rally leader, said The Indiana Pastors Alliance is a network of clergy, churches and Christian organizations who have come together to advance and defend the cause of faith, family and freedom throughout Indiana. People can read more about the organization at indianapastorsalliance.com.
The organization is meeting with concerned citizens across the state to accomplish several things.
“We gather to proclaim we will share the good news that Jesus Christ has the power to forgive, heal and transform every person. Our message is one of love and hope. We are not protesting anything or anyone. We are here to celebrate Jesus and offer hope to those who are hungry and desperate for change,”Johnson said. “We are here to protect the religious liberties of all Hoosiers from those seeking to create special protected class status for sexual orientation and gender identity.”
Tuura said for the Pro Equality Rally, as it stands there are 65-plus possible attending and 1,000-plus invited. “We hope to partner with local businesses and make this a very positive downtown event for the community. With live music and some signs,” Tuura said.
Tuura said the main purpose is to counteract misinformation being spread by what he described as powerful religious lobbying groups, such as Silent No More and Advance America.
Tuura said those groups are working to discourage town councils from adopting local LGBT protections, citing their religion as their reason.
“They continue to claim allowing people to use the bathroom they identify with increases the risk of pedophiles and rapists gaming public toilets for victims. I would contend their women and children are at a much greater risk of coming in contact with an active rapist or pedophile at a local church,” Tuura said.
“It's this kind of demonization of a minority population that inspires individual acts of violence, and in a state without a hate crime law, or state-level LGBT civil rights protection, the religious right's agenda is not just hateful, it is dangerous. In short, practice whatever religion you want or not, but no one has the right to deny a whole community its rights and dignity out of personal discomfort,” Tuura said. “It's this idea that Christians are on the road to being persecuted, that in part fuels the negative opinion of Indiana post RFRA. Hopefully, if we can have a positive real experience in Warsaw, we can start to counteract that damage.”[[In-content Ad]]
The Indiana Pastor Alliance's "Stand For Religious Freedom" rally will be at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 22 at the courthouse.
Another rally at the same time and place, a counter rally, is called “Pro Equality Hoosier Rally,” according to Pete Tuura, event organizer.
Indiana Senate Bill 101, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, is a law in the state which allows individuals and companies to assert that their exercise of religion has been, or is likely to be, substantially burdened as a defense in legal proceedings.[
The bill was approved by a vote of 40-10 on March 26, 2015, and Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed it into law.
The bill was controversial, with opponents of the law claiming that it targeted lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender people and other groups. A proposal to provide protections for LGBT customers, employees and tenants was announced by Senate President David C. Long and House Speaker Brian Bosma on April 2. The changes to the bill were passed and signed into law by Pence.
Ron Johnson, Indiana Pastors’s Alliance rally leader, said The Indiana Pastors Alliance is a network of clergy, churches and Christian organizations who have come together to advance and defend the cause of faith, family and freedom throughout Indiana. People can read more about the organization at indianapastorsalliance.com.
The organization is meeting with concerned citizens across the state to accomplish several things.
“We gather to proclaim we will share the good news that Jesus Christ has the power to forgive, heal and transform every person. Our message is one of love and hope. We are not protesting anything or anyone. We are here to celebrate Jesus and offer hope to those who are hungry and desperate for change,”Johnson said. “We are here to protect the religious liberties of all Hoosiers from those seeking to create special protected class status for sexual orientation and gender identity.”
Tuura said for the Pro Equality Rally, as it stands there are 65-plus possible attending and 1,000-plus invited. “We hope to partner with local businesses and make this a very positive downtown event for the community. With live music and some signs,” Tuura said.
Tuura said the main purpose is to counteract misinformation being spread by what he described as powerful religious lobbying groups, such as Silent No More and Advance America.
Tuura said those groups are working to discourage town councils from adopting local LGBT protections, citing their religion as their reason.
“They continue to claim allowing people to use the bathroom they identify with increases the risk of pedophiles and rapists gaming public toilets for victims. I would contend their women and children are at a much greater risk of coming in contact with an active rapist or pedophile at a local church,” Tuura said.
“It's this kind of demonization of a minority population that inspires individual acts of violence, and in a state without a hate crime law, or state-level LGBT civil rights protection, the religious right's agenda is not just hateful, it is dangerous. In short, practice whatever religion you want or not, but no one has the right to deny a whole community its rights and dignity out of personal discomfort,” Tuura said. “It's this idea that Christians are on the road to being persecuted, that in part fuels the negative opinion of Indiana post RFRA. Hopefully, if we can have a positive real experience in Warsaw, we can start to counteract that damage.”[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092